Establishing Healthcare as a Right

Having access to high quality healthcare isn’t a political issue — it’s a human issue. In one of the wealthiest cities in the world, no one should be forced to choose between life saving prescription drugs and groceries. From pregnant mothers and ailing seniors to those experiencing long term afflictions, mental illness, and addiction everyone in our community deserves quality affordable care.

My plan to enrich our healthcare system includes:

Supporting the New York Health Act, because no one should have to sell cupcakes or create a Go Fund Me page to pay for their mother’s cancer treatment.

Tackling the opioid crisis and other drug addictions by imposing harsher penalties for drug distributors (including doctors and pharmaceutical companies), treating the underlying emotional and psychological issues that can lead to addiction, educating parents and young people on the dangers of drug abuse, increasing funding for medical-based treatment, expanding distribution of Narcan, and providing job training for former addicts so they can reintegrate into the workforce.

Providing greater support for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, removing the stigma associated with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other conditions, and making additional services available to reduce suicides and overdoses. In doing so, we not only help others in their time of need. We increase the quality of life for our families, schools, and neighborhoods.

Combating rising prescription drug costs by championing state legislation to prohibit unfair launch prices for brand name and generic drugs and cap annual price increases. I’d also mandate transparency of drug companies' costs for research and development, manufacturing and marketing for every drug.